Players back Patrick Roy but NY Islanders fans view tenure as average in flash poll

The word 'average' is probably not in the vocabulary of New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy, but that is the way that a majority of fans view his tenure thus far behind the Isles bench.

In an IslesFix flash poll with 876 respondents, 56.3% of fans graded Roy a "C" on the first anniversary of his hiring. Another 18.7% percent felt he deserved a D or worse, which is unsurprising since the team has the second-worst points percentage in the Eastern Conference. Another 23.3% were more bullish on Roy assigning a "B," and 1.8% offered the top grade.

"Not sure of any case for anything except a C at best, and mostly for being Patrick Roy," former VP of Communications Chris Botta wrote. "Few players (Holmstrom) have improved. Many have regressed. But bottom line is the W-L record. I do know ownership likes him so Patrick has a good chance of sticking around as he wishes."

"I don’t blame too much on Roy. If you pay attention to systems, they’re running an extremely modern, effective, pressure based system 5v5. Opposite of Lambert," replied a fan. "They just lack skill/elite players. Which isn’t a Roy issue. Not emphasizing physicality is a Roy problem I have though."

Meanwhile, the players are firmly behind their coach. While they acknowledge the wins haven't been there this season, there is still the feeling that Roy's honesty and belief has instilled a strong culture in the organization, one that is unique in its own way from previous seasons.

“Patrick is a stand-up guy,” Mathew Barzal said of Roy after Monday's morning skate. “He speaks the truth. That has translated within our locker room, guys being honest with each other. His overall mindset that he has about winning and culture, it’s been really beneficial for this group.”

Roy has been steadfast in his feelings that the team's record does not correctly represent how they've played. He has tried to focus on the positives and the process, expecting and hoping for things to turn around at some point. However, it's getting late for the Islanders, who are eight points out of a playoff spot and next to last in the Eastern Conference. With the trade deadline and major decisions looming, only a few weeks are left to make a case that assets shouldn't be traded.

“I wish we had a better record than what we have," Roy admitted. "But, overall, I’m happy to see the steps we’re making. I feel like we’ve been playing better than our record has shown.”